High School Is a Carnival
by kliegeye
Summary: Baby, there's a shark in the water tonight. Degrassi finds itself cast as the backdrop for a carnival unlike any it has ever seen before. Based on the VV Brown/Degrassi music video.
1. Chapter 1

High School is a Carnival

Fan Fic

The lights shine brightly at the Degrassi carnival, but all is not well. Fiona sits in the tent amidst the tubes and compacts, desperately dabbing at her face with a cosmetic brush.

"Fi! Sweetie, you can cake that on as much as you want to, but it's not going away," Chantay calls from the rack of spangled outfits along the side of the tent.

"I know," Fiona replies quietly. She stares at herself, the bruise around her eye blossoming blue to purple to green, like the colors of her favorite flower. The iris. Chantay and Anya always make fun of Fiona for the bouquet of irises she keeps by her vanity, but they remind her of her childhood, of New York, of Declan.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you," Chantay says, breaking Fiona's concentration.

"No," Fiona protests. "I was just thinking about tonight."

"Good. You better not screw it up tonight."

Chantay and Fiona look up to see the imposing figure of Holly J in her redcoat and top hat. She stands impatiently at the doorway.

"C'mon, ladies, tonight's show had better be good." She walks out, hearing the snarky whispers from the girls behind her.

More than anyone, Holly J understands the importance of tonight. It's not just about Degrassi. It is so much more than that.

Holly J walks the midway, past the sideshow where K.C. and Jenna argue, and waves to Anya with her snakes. Dear Anya, her oldest friend.

"You think we'll get a crowd tonight?" Anya calls to Holly J.

"We'd better," Holly J grumbles. Anya wraps her snake around her shoulders like a shawl, and kicks the moss at her feet.

"So... uh...have you seen Sav around?"

"I think he's a little tied up right now, An," Holly J replies. "I wouldn't worry about him."

"Oh. Well, it's no big deal. I was just hoping..."

"You were hoping for what?"

"Oh, nevermind. It isn't important," Anya says quickly. Sheepishly. Holly J looks at her and Anya shrinks under her gaze. Holly J turns and continues down the midway. The worry gnaws at her. Something is going to happen tonight. Something new, something unexpected. A loud pound shakes her from her troubling thoughts. Riley is practicing his Strongman routine and a small crowd of the carnies and crew forms around him.

"HJ! Hey!" he calls out jovially.

"Riley."

"Oh, man, tonight's gonna be a blast. You'll see. I've rigged it so I'm the only one who can hit the bell!" He proudly leans against the hammer in his hand. Holly J smiles at him.

"Whatever it takes," she grins.

They share a laugh and she continues past the kissing booth where Alli adjusts her hair and pops a breathmind and over to the dunk tank, which stands empty.

"Dave? Dave, where the hell are you?"

Dave emerges from behind the tank, shaken.

"Why aren't you on the platform?" Holly J barks.

"No way. N-no. Not me," Dave sputters.

"Why the hell not?"

"I have a bad feeling about tonight. Please, HJ, not me tonight." Holly J rolls her eyes.

"Fine. Go find Connor and tell him he's on tonight."

"I don't think he's gonna do it. He was freaking out by the tent before."

"It's you or him, pal. Your choice. But I want one of you on that damned platform in 5 minutes."

"Okay, okay," Dave says, backing up. He turns and runs to the tent, stumbling over a bale of hay beside the tank.

She gulps; she's not the only one with the heebie jeebies tonight. She makes her way to Clare's tent, a dark corner past the hall of mirrors. She pauses briefly, deciding whether she'd rather the mirrors or Clare inform her of what is in store for tonight. She decides on her soothsayer.

Clare sits by her tarot cards, the pack she found in her locker. You can still make out a faded label on the card box taht says "Property of T. MacGreggor." She looks up when Holly J enters, and puckers her lips in a perturbance.

Holly J sits at the chair opposite Clare and leans back.

"'Sup, Clare, my dear."

"Holly J," Clare grits out her reply.

"Aw, don't be sore about Declan."

"You didn't have to embarrass me," Clare says to the cards.

"Clare, what have I told you? Look me in the face when you want to talk about Delcan."

Clare looks up and holds Holly J's gaze for only a moment before she looks away.

"What's going on tonight? It's like there's a bad wind coming."

Clare scrutinizes the cards for a moment before she shuffles and places them in intricate patterns across her small table. She doesn't react at first, but then can't hide her surprise and then fear.

"That good, eh?"

"It's going to be a doozy."

"See, what does that even mean?" Holly J laughs, her tension beginning to ease for the first time all night. Clare shifts uncomfortably in her chair. "Ah, the hell with it. The show must go on, right?"

Holly J gets up to leave, as Clare turns over a card, a pair of lovers staring back up at her. She can swear the girl looks a little like her. Or Holly J, she can never tell. But the boy doesn't even resemble Declan with his dark hair.

Chantay approaches Holly J and links arms with her.

"I think we're ready, hon," she says.

"Oh, I agree," Holly J replies. "Let's get it started."

She walks up to the gate by the midway where the crowd has gathered. She adjusts her hat and lapels and clears her throat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen... Boys and Girls... come one, come all, and come on inside!"

to be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

##

It isn't often Drew has the opportunity to go to carnivals and he forgot how crowded they get, even at night. Adam and Eli have been talking about it for months, but it never occurred to Drew to go. He remembers when his parents used to take him to the carnival when he was a kid. The roller coasters would scare the pants off of him. He is terrified of heights. But he also remembers that carnivals are great places to meet girls, and lots of them. If he plays his cards right, maybe he can walk away with a few phone numbers tonight.

"Dude, this is going to be awesome!" Adam calls from ahead. They walk through the large dark field where the carnival shines like an light oasis in the black night. It seems like they have been walking out here forever, but they are only just arriving. Drew smiles when he sees Adam bounding ahead, excited and blithe. Eli sidles up next to Drew and comments on it.

"Yeah, I know, but he's cool," Drew says.

"He is. He's great, but..." Eli trails off and looks meaningfully at Drew. Drew nods in return and steels his gaze. Adam. The kid's had it rough, and Drew hopes he can ride out the night, be cool.

"It's okay. That's why we're here." The two are silent for a moment and watch Adam as he picks up speed and laugh when he stumbles on a rock or an old fireworks canister, or whatever is littered on the ground. Giggling and giddy, Adam gets up and shouts for them to hurry up; tension broken, the guys follow his lead and start running up to the gate.

The carnival's entrance is huge and menacing, despite the playful bulbs that light up over the entryway. Degrassi. Is it a family name? The air is heavy with the scent of burnt buttered popcorn, hot spun sugar and sweat. Drew barely has time to think because the crowd parts and he's struck dumb by a gorgeous girl in a coat and top hat - presumbly the barker - who walks forward and introduces herself to the crowd. He notices the small freckles that smatter across her nose, under the heavy caked on theatre make-up.

"...and a night of thrills and chills! Of secrets and surprise! I'm your hostess tonight, Miss Holly J Sinclair, and I can gua-ran-tee this to be a night you will NEVER forget! Test your luck with our WHEEL OF FORTUNE! Take a peek at your future with our Fortune Teller. Games! Prizes! Care to find yourself our treacherous Hall of Mirrors? Come and see our freak show! You there, step right up!"

The crowd swells and pushes the guys forward, with Drew in the lead. Looking him up and down, Holly J lets out a laugh of sardonic delight and grabs him by his collar.

"Aren't YOU a tall drink of water?" she leans in and whispers to Drew. "I'll bet you're a pretty tough guy."

"Well, I-" Drew starts, but Holly J steps up to him and places a lace-gloved hand on his lips.

"You don't need to explain anything to me, hon. I have just the place for you. And you two," she says, pointing past a dumbstruck Drew to Eli and Adam. "Why don't you come along? We have a show for anyone willing to sit for it."

As Drew collects himself, Adam lets out a whoop of laughter and Eli grins, his eyebrow archly raised. They follow the strawberry blonde and her swinging coattails through the gateway and into the carnival...

to be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Clare finds the adventures of the carnival boring lately, and Holly J is hardly on the top her of her list of favorite people. Especially tonight. Stupid Holly J, with her arrogance and cute jackets and... sigh... Declan's love. Clare drags her feet down the midway and remembers...

It wasn't as if she and Declan had meant for anything to happen. His act just happened to require an assistant, and it wasn't like Clare was spending anymore time at the sideshow. She, in a shiny pink costume, was strapped to the circular wheel while Declan threw his knives, and she just needed to be fearless. Holly J never seemed to mind that they spent all that time together, until of course, the night the knife slipped. Clare was fine, not even a scratch, but Declan paled like he had seen a ghost. After the curtain fell to signify the end of the show, Declan had rushed over to Clare and carefully unbuckled her wrists and legs from the bonds. His finger ran along her wrist and there were tears in his eyes. Clare lifted her hand and wiped away the tear collecting at his cheek.

"It's okay, Declan, I'm okay."

"I'm so sorry, Clare," he said meaningfully to her, and helped her step down from the wheel. It was then that Holly J found them, embraced. Clare hasn't seen Declan since, and Holly J has taken over the knife-throwing act for tonight.

Clare walks over to the crowd forming around the dunk tank, to watch who'll dunk Connor tonight. Leia, a regular, seems ready to aim until a stranger takes the ball away pushes past in black leather to the tank. He scoffs as he punches the target. Though he gets a laugh, his face darkens, focusing on Wesley and Dave. Clare walks over to the boys and whispers they're needed in the tents before the stranger can catch them. Clare had seen this in the cards.

The cards. Those stupid, stupid cards. She could have been a showgirl like Fi and Chantay had it not been for those blasted cards. The day she found them she had been walking around the ravine, and they were near a large rock, moldy and dirty. Clare doesn't know what made her think to pick them up. Maybe it was the face on the box, a twisted fortune teller with a skull holograph where her face should be. Clare thought it would be funny and maybe a little creepy. Showing them to Alli, she laughed as they tried to tell each other's fortunes. Then, the fortunes came true, and when Holly J found out, it was the perfect excuse to keep her in the tents.

"Why aren't you in the tents, Clare, dear?"

"Holly J!" Clare says, shaken from her thoughts. "Heh. I didn't see you there."

Holly J is flanked by three guys, and Clare can't help but be drawn to one of them. He is lean and she likes the way his shaggy dark hair falls into his dark brown eyes. He looks back at her and smiles.

"Do you want him?"

"What?"

"Here, have him!" Holly J laughs, pushing him towards Clare. "Take them, both, Clare-beare. Show them around. Can you do that?" Laughing and grabbing the other guy by the arm, Holly J marches off, leaving the shaggy one and the third guy with Clare, dumbstruck. The sound of Holly J's laughter is lost among the screams from the roller coaster.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"Hi!"

"Hi."

"So..." Clare sizes them up. "I'm-"

"Clare," the shaggy guy says. "Yeah, I heard. I'm Eli."

"I'm Adam!" the younger guys says enthusiastically.

"Nice to meet you guys. Have you, uh, been here before?" Stupid, Clare thinks.

"No," Eli says, grinning, "but I think Holly is right. You should show us around."

"Holly J," Clare and Adam say at the same time.

"Right," Eli replies. "Lead on, Clare."

It's like a weight is lifted. Clare's anxiety comes to a simmer, and for the first time, she isn't thinking of Declan's pool-blue eyes, or the way his collar falls against his shirt.

Clare leads them down the midway, pointing out the games and rides, along with the performers. Fiona's dancing, Chantay aerial acrobatics, even the knife-throwing show. Eli seems genuinely interested in what she has to say, and Clare even begins to feel a little proud walking next to him, even if it is his first time at the show. Adam laughs as he follows them through the crowd, dancing between the crowds of people. A burst of fire from the fire-breathers on the side, the clang from a faraway strong-man show, the winning bells from the horse race gain. Clare is telling Eli about the carnival's history but when she turns to address Adam, he's gone, disappeared into the crowd.

"Crap! We have to find him," Eli says, a trace of concern in his voice.

"It's okay - the carnival's pretty safe. I'm sure he'll catch up," Clare replies.

"It's just... he doesn't like to be alone too much."

"We'll find him," Clare reassures Eli. After a search along the midway results in nothing but cotton candy stuck on Eli's shoes, Clare suggests they stay in one place to wait. "We can wait in my tent. He can't really go that far."

"If you're sure..."

"He'll be fine."

Clare and Eli walk towards the tents, and Clare swipes a top hat from Dave's stash and hands it over to Eli.

"Here," she says, "Now, you're one of us."

"Is that all it takes?"

Clare smiles. She leads him inside and seats him at the table. Picking up her deck of cards, she sits across from Eli and starts shuffling.

"Have you ever had your fortune read?"

"Not by anyone as cute as you."

"Well," Clare says, lifting her eyes to meet his, "let's get started, then."

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

"I think you have potential, Luke."  
"My name is Drew."  
"Luke, Drew, whatever. I think you can really become a member of our little crew here." The strawberry blonde is cute, but Drew feels caught off guard. He chuckles and takes a step back.

"Work at a carnival? C'mon."

"It's not just a carnival, it's a way of life," Holly J scoffs. "Look over there."

She gestures to the strongman act a few feet away.

"Riley is our strongman. No one has ever beaten him. I'll bet you could."

"Nah," Drew laughs. "That dude is huge."

"Go on," she pushes, "try."

Drew walks over, his bravado masking confusion and maybe a little fear, and he grabs the large rubber hammer from a guy his age in a yellow and black striped vest. Drawing the hammer high over his head, he lets out a laugh as he slams it down, a bell dinging high above the crowd. Riley, the strongman, looks shocked and behind him the crowd cheers. Drew gets lost in the praise and excitement, and teases Riley to have a go.  
"See? Doesn't it feel good? Everybody loves you," Drew hears whispered in his ear. He looks around, but Holly J is gone, a blur among the cheers, chanting for him to give it another try. A flash of a top hat catches the corner of his eye.  
"Hey! Wait! Holly!" he calls out, and runs away from the crowd, into an empty midway. Drew stops and looks around , the emptiness feels like it's creeping up around his ankles.  
"Hello? Holly?"  
"It's Holly J," the voice says petulantly behind him. He turns to see who belongs to this husky, guileless voice. The strawberry blonde with the top hat is gone. In her place stands a vision in a spangled purple sparkly costume. Her caramel skin shines under the carnival's incandescence and her hair is like night. When she moves, there is a symphony as the fabric tinkles and swooshes against itself.  
"I... I'm-"  
"Holly J's new plaything, I'll bet," the girl states glumly. "But she HATES it when you just call her Holly. You should know that if you want her to keep you." She walks past him and sits on an empty stage, looking small and childlike amidst the tulle and taffeta.  
"No, I'm, uh... I'm Drew. That girl, she... and the other guys, Eli, Adam... I... You..."  
"Me? I'm Alli. First I was the Magician's Assistant, then Holly J wanted me in the dunk tank, but I told HER there was NO WAY that I would wear that awful outfit or get my HAIR wet. I mean, IS she crazy? When Declan was here, he wouldn't have even THOUGHT to waste my talents on the dunk tank. I mean, the DUNK tank..."  
Drew smiles and relaxes. There's something about her garrulous tirade that calms him down, that puts everything back into perspective. Alli reminds him that he's just a guy, she puts into back onto familiar ground, even if he has know idea what she's talking about.  
"...but why would I want to kiss all these PEOPLE? I mean, they don't even have BREATH mints. It's so gross. Do you know what I mean?"  
"Sorry?"  
"Nevermind... so Holly J's new boy toy. What's that like?"  
"I'm NOT her new boy toy."  
"So you're her old boy toy."  
"I don't belong to Holly J!"  
"Interesting," she giggles. Drew smiles back. "So, the guy Holly J couldn't get... I like this. How come you don't want her?"  
"I... I don't know. I just met her."  
"You just met me," Alli says, leaning forward.  
"True."  
"You like me," Alli smiles.  
"Yeah, I do," Drew flirts back. There's a fun to this dangerous flirting. Alli is coy, playful, someone he can... no, he barely knows her. But still... "So, what do you do here?"  
"Weren't you listening even a little?" Alli laughs. "I work the Kissing Booth. It's not much, but now that Holly J runs the show, what choice do I have? It'd be weird for me to be HER assistant. Not like I'd even want to. Hey! You should come to the booth with me. Maybe you can scare off the freaks. You know, protect me." Alli hops down and sidles up to Drew.  
"I don't know."  
"You beat the strongman. You're my new hero."  
Alli slides her arm around Drew's waist and leans into him. Shrugging, he lets her lead him back through the carnival. It can't be all bad, and she's really cute. What's the worst thing that could happen?


	5. Chapter 5

Adam is terrified. The noise, the blur of faces, the pushing and shoving and... where are Drew and Eli? The panic of being alone in this crowd begins to set in and causes him to fall to the ground, gasping for air. The people around him are unrelenting and through the sea of legs, he staggers to the only empty space. And into darkness.

His eyes adjust to the emptiness that surrounds him. The cold glass next to him seems to reflect light and shapes. Dully, it occurs to him that he has stumbled into the House of Mirrors, and the tug of fear helps him to his feet. He hears footsteps through the glass.

"Hullo?"

At first, Adam hears nothing. He realizes that he's been holding his breath and he slowly lets it out, leaning against the mirrored wall. It's just a silly House of Mirrors. It's nothing. He sighs deeply, but then he hears it.

"Hello?" the voice hangs the question on the air and then sighs quietly.

"Who's there? Who is that?" Adam shouts, panicked. Adam steps off the wall and sees a flash of white run past him. Scared, he runs back towards the door, but it seems to have closed.

"Who is THAT?"

"Help me!"

"Help ME."

Every step he takes seems to create another flash of movement. He pushes through the dark mirrors seeing hands and arms until he finds himself at a tri-folded set of mirrors.

"Stop repeating me!"

"Fine."

He looks up at his reflections. But they aren't him at all. Standing on the other side of a mirror is a girl. A girl he's sworn he'd never see again.

"What are you doing here?" he ask, panting.

"What, aside from freaking you out?"

"Yes."

She follows him as he walks and as he sits and leans agains one of the mirrors, she does the same, on her side of it.

"Maybe the bigger question, Adam dear, is what are YOU doing here?"

"I don't know. I... I thought the carnival would be fun, get my mind off of... well, YOU. And Eli and Drew said they'd come, and we got here and it's just been awful. And that girl was walking us through, but then, everyone got lost. And I'm just... I'm just here. With you now. It's like I can't get away from you. I don't want you to be a part of my life."

"Well, maybe you should stop throwing yourself this little pity party. Did you ever think that maybe I don't want you to be a part of MY life?"

"Gracie, stop it."

"What?"

"Don't be mad. I'm just trying to be honest with you. It's been really hard. And you... if even you can't understand that? What do you expect me to do?"

"Let me be honest with YOU, pal. I'm not going anywhere. And maybe you should try to get comfortable with that."

"I can't, Gracie. Don't you understand that I can't?" His face is suddenly wet, as the tears have started to fall, unbidden. He puts his hand up to the mirrored glass, Gracie mimics the movement and, if there glass could disappeared, their fingers would be touching.

"Try, Adam. Please don't let me go!" Adam stares back at her face, his face, tears in her eyes as well. "Please!"

"I have to," Adam shouts out, punching the wall in front of him. "I'm sorry, Gracie. I have to!" Suddenly, there is a slow rumble and glass shatters around him, like the entire House of Mirrors is quivering and aching with Adam's pain. Covered in shards and dust, Adam begins to sob. He has never felt more alone in his entire life.

"Hey." Adam looks up pitifully to the male voice in front of him. "Do you need some help?"

Adam realizes that there is light around him a low light that has gotten brighter as the boy in front of him has entered the room. Gracie is gone, like she never existed. There is no shattered glass, it's a regular, kinda low-budget Funhouse. The boy helps Adam to his feet.

"Thanks," Adam says, brushing himself off.

"I'm Sav." Sav smiles, he's friendly and tall and Adam begins to relax a bit in his presence. "Your first time at the carnival, huh?"

"Yeah."

"It's okay. Man, I can't believe you decided on the House of Mirrors. We always tell Holly J how creepy it is, but... she won't tear it down. Seems to think it's some oracle or something. Like in ancient Greece, y'know? But, c'mon. That's ridiculous.

"Yeah," Adam replies. "Totally ridiculous." He'll keep his experience to himself.

"Did you come here with anyone?"

"Yeah, my brother and my friend. I don't know where they ran off to," Adam replies. "You work here, or something?"

"Or something," Sav laughs. "Hey, I'll help you find them. And then you guys can come to the magic show!"

"I think I've had enough magic in my life."

"No, it'll be a blast. There's acrobatics and cute girls and knife throwing. It'll be great!"

Sav leads him through the maze and back into the land of the now. Adam casts a look behind and watches as Gracie turns her back to him and looks away...

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. Chapter 6

##

"Anya, I just don't like it."

"You don't have to like it, HJ, but you can't get rid of her."

They stand behind the sideshow curtain, as Holly J helps Anya take Hogart, her two-headed Burmese python from his cage. Hogart is cranky and gives Holly J a squeeze, but he shrinks back under her warning gaze.

"It's just... oh, I'm so mad I could scream! He just... disappeared. That's Declan's job, not some new muscle-hottie who's trying to reject me. Doesn't he know who I am?"

"Declan didn't really 'disappear', god," Anya mutters under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing! I-" Anya stutters her words out when Holly J whips around steps threateningly towards her.

"Do you have a problem with the way things are running here, sweet Anya?"

"No! Of course not! You're doing a fine job," Anya backs up until she feels the rough scratch of the curtain behind her. "You're even better than he ever was."

"Good," Holly J replies, calming down. "You're so lucky you get to work the sideshow, now, Anya. Isn't it just so much better than working with Sav? After all that heartbreak?"

Working with Sav... Anya would do anything to return to that part of the carnival, rather than staying with the freaks. Holly J's final punishment for who-even-remembers anymore? But Anya does remember. She remembers the day she warned Declan and Clare that Holly J was coming. For that apparent betrayal, she's been forever relegated as the Two-Faced Girl. But Holly J didn't understand. It wasn't what she thought. Well, not exactly. Clare had seen something in those cards she always carried around, but before she could tell Declan what she saw, Holly J had stormed in and found them. Declan got away, but everyone else was left to feel the wrath of a scorned Sinclair. Sometimes, Anya almost pitied HJ.

"...and Sav is so much better as the assistant. It gets pretty hot on-stage, but we know how behave ourselves," Holly J continues.

Anya almost pitied Holly J.

Holly J leaves Anya to the sideshow and walks along the back tents to prepare for the stage show. It was the only way she knew how to survive, lashing out at her friends, sinking in her venom, like Hogart. She misses Declan so much it hurt. But it was his choice to leave, his choice to abandon her to this chaos, making her responsible for the entire success of the damn show. She walks past Clare's tent and hears voices. Clare must still be with that boy. Though Holly J would love nothing more than to destroy Clare's little happiness, she doesn't have the time. There's a show to put on and Holly J needs to track down Sav and make sure that he's ready.

She walks into her own tent, Chantay is already there, waiting.

"Where have you been? We're on it 15 minutes, HJ," Chantay scolds lightly.

"Someone's still got to be in charge around here," Holly J replies loftily. Her bravado hides the fact that she's losing her nerve. She's tired and needs a break from the carnival. Needs a break from all the drama.

"I'm so glad you don't let the power go to your head."

"Oh, haha, Chantay," Holly J snaps. "You try running the show and also performing. But no, you just need to do some cartwheels and grin. Lucky for you."

"Someone's been walking on the wrong side of midway," Chantay laughs.

"Just help me get ready," Holly J grumbles. Chantay helps her into her stage costume and adjusts her top hat.

"It's going to be fine, HJ."

"You're right, I know that," HJ sighs. She wouldn't dare confide in Chantay, given her closeness to Anya, but she wishes she could talk to someone. Declan would say the right thing... No. She had to stop thinking of him.

"You okay?"

Chantay and Holly J turn to see Sav, in his red billowed shirt and boldly striped pants.

"You look ridiculous," Holly J scolds.

"I look like a rock star," Sav laughs.

"You look like pirate," she mutters.

"A carny pirate!" Sav grins and steps inside, a guy follows him in. "Hey, I found this dude in the House of Mirrors; he was pretty shaken up. Okay if he stays in her until we can find his buddies? His name's Adam."

Holly J opens her mouth to object but cannot find the words. Sav looks so... hopeful, and kind.

"Fine, fine," Holly J says, rolling her eyes. She steps forward and takes a closer look at him. Adam, feeling her curious eyes, begins to sweat and wring his hands.

"Hey," Holly J says, "you were with that other guy. Drew, right?"

"Yeah," Adam replies. "He's my brother."

"You don't look like brothers."

"Um... yeah, it's weird how that happens."

"Whatever. The show's going to start soon. You can have a front-row seat, if you'd like. I'm sure your brother and that other friend of yours will make it."

"Cool." Adam lets out a sigh of relief. This is not a person he wants to cross.

"Well, come on, go through that flap and sit out front."

Adam follows her directions and finds a crowd already beginning to gather in front of the stage. He looks around before he takes his seat. At first, the crowd seems filled with Gracie, which frightens him, but then the faceless become unfamiliar until he sees Drew, who's walking through with a gorgeous girl. Adam waves them over.

"Dude! It's been forever!"

"Sorry, bro," Drew replies. He introduces Adam to the hottie: her name is Alli and she never stops talking, but her chatter and Drew's nearness finally calms Adam's nerves.

"You having fun?" Adam asks.

"Dude, this place is WEIRD, but it's alright. How about you? You got lost for a minute there; everything okay?"

"I saw her."

"Who?"

"Gracie, man," Adam whispers, the confession feeling absurd.

"What do you mean, you 'saw' her? That's impossible!" Drew whispers back.

"It was... it might have just been my imagination. This place is crazy."

"Look, after the show, we'll find Eli and get out of here, okay?"

"Yeah," Adam replies. "That would be awesome."

Talking about Gracie puts Adam a little on edge again, but he steels himself against his feelings and waits for the stage show. An explosion of smoke and sparklers signal the curtain to open and the show begins.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	7. Chapter 7

"You have pretty eyes."

Clare feels her cheeks starting to burn and can't look up at Eli to accept the compliment.

"No talking during your reading," she finally musters, unable to hide her smile.

"Right... so, what do the cards say?"

Clare carefully prepare to lay out the first spread of cards. The card box casts a shadow on the table, lit by tall tapered candles that Declan had found at a second-hand shop. Clare lets Eli cut the deck before she begins shuffling. Eli smiles and Clare clumsily lets a few cards fall onto the tabletop. She begins shuffling again and finally, they are ready. She throws the first card: The High Priestess. Clare can almost hear the cards laughing at her. Then, The King of Swords, The Lovers. Eli raises an eyebrow and Clare silently tries to shush the cards. C'mon, make this about Eli and not me, please, Clare pleads. And then there's Death.

"It'snotwhatyouthink," Clare rushes out as they both stare at the card.

"What do you think I think?" Eli says with a half-grin.

"Well, um, most... most people think that Death means, you know, _Death_. But Death can mean change. Big... drastic... life-altering change."

"Huh... so, why are way more freaked by the cards than I am?"

"I'm not!"

"You are," Eli laughs. "No offense, Clare, but I don't put much store in deck of cards. I know this probably goes against, like, EVERYTHING that you believe here, but c'mon. They're pictures on laminated paper. I mean, everything is up to chance anyway."

"Sure," Clare replies. She exhales slowly.

"Hey, but... you know, they're probably totally spot on."

"Don't patronize me," Clare laughs, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Eli says. "I just wanted to see you smile again. You're cute when you smile."

"What did I say about talking during your reading?"

"Of course."

They sit quietly and Eli continues to stare at Clare while she tries to focus on the cards.

"Let's get out of here," Eli whispers.

"I thought you wanted a psychic reading," Clare protests.

"Changed my mind. Drastically, life-alteringly...changed my mind," he teases.

"Oh, haha," Clare pouts, but quickly begins to smile when Eli extends his hand to help her up. His hand is slender and cold, and he doesn't let go. Leaving the tent, Clare throws one more look over her shoulder as a gust of wind flickers the candle and flips over one more card: Fool.

Fool, Clare thinks, thanks a lot.

The show has already begun when they get to the main stage. Chantay finishes her acrobatics routine as Holly J takes aim with a set of long-knives. The crowd collectively gasps as the knife sails through the air, landing perilously close to Sav's head. HJ walks over and removes the knife before taking her bow. Clare notices the small spark between the two of them and is glad that Anya is over at the sideshow instead of watching this. Eli turns to Clare and gestures to show.

"So, is it all smoke and mirrors? Or is it _real_ like the tarot cards?"

"Not all..." Clare wonders how much she can share, how much she wants to trust Eli. She opens her mouth, but changes her mind. "I wish you could stay."

"Yeah, me too," Eli says, reaching for Clare's hand.

"You should probably find your friends. I think they're in the back row over there."

"I just want to stand here for one more minute," Eli whispers. Clare anticipates his kiss. Eli leans in slowly and presses his lips to hers.

From the stage, Holly J considers calling out Clare and humiliating her in front of the crowd. But she waits. Not the time, not the place. And Holly J knows that deliciousness of a revenge served cold. Clare savors the kiss, desperate to file away the pressure of his lips, his intoxicating smell in case she never sees him again. She opens her eyes and sees him looking wryly at her.

"You are... amazing."

"Thank you," Clare says, collecting herself. She sees that Adam has recognized them and is waving Eli over. "You'd better..."

"Yeah," Eli replies, biting his lip, "I'd better."

Eli walks away, leaving Clare in the darkness away from the show. She watches him approach the guys and is surprised to see Alli there, too. Eli and Alli trade places and Alli runs to Clare, smiling.

"Tell me, tell me everything!" Alli squeals.

"There's not much to tell!" Clare replies.

"There's always something to tell."

"Okay, there's one thing..." The girls lean in to chat about their new crushes and Holly J makes another mental note. Her eyes trace from Alli and Clare to the three guys in the back row. And there is Drew. That skank, Alli. At least the show has been a success.

"Thank you all for coming!" Holly J shouts. "And remember, the nights not over yet! Enjoy the rides and the games before the carnival closes!"

As the crowd thins and disperses away from the stage, Holly J helps unbuckle Sav from his wheel.

"Good show tonight, HJ."

"Yeah."

"I'm impressed with you," Sav says, rubbing the pain from his wrists.

"I kept my temper at bay." Holly J takes the remaining knives out of the wheel and sets to polishing them and putting them away in a leather sheath.

"Not just that. You... you're really keeping it together. It's... really cool."

Holly J lets the compliment wash over her. She thinks of Drew and Alli, of Clare and her boy. And suddenly, perhaps it doesn't matter. She looks at Sav in a whole new light, his dark hair spiky over his eyes.

"Thanks, that means a lot."

They walk behind the curtain together, away from the lights and behind the scenes.

Drew, Adam and Eli make their way to the carnival exit. The guys are quiet, thoughtful.

"I'm glad you convinced to come, kid," Drew says, clasping Adam by the shoulder.

"Yeah, me too," Eli says.

"Sure." Adam is the only one who seems to be ambivalent about his night. He can see Drew and Eli already planning tomorrow night's trip, and while he'd sooner never see the inside of that House of Mirrors again, he knows he may not have another choice.

As they leave, the pass a giant wheel of fortune, spinning. Adam wonders if the wheel ever stops, and what happens when it will. Adam hopes he's not there when it does...

The End.

Afterword: Thank you all so much for sharing this experience with me! As my first fan fiction, it's been really exciting to see all your responses and that people actually started following the story. I know I probably could continue, but now that the series has started, it will be even more fun to get to know the characters better and maybe even start another story afterwards. Thanks again! - kleigeye


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